


Metal Pacifiers

by SilverBlaze85



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Baby Fic, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Jaegercon Bingo, Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-22 10:06:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/911946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverBlaze85/pseuds/SilverBlaze85
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For my Jaegercon Bingo prompt "Dog Tags". I don't even know at this point, okay? Fluffy post-movie domestic fluff that may rot out your teeth. </p><p>He means to put them away, has meant to for years, but it always feels so final, like a goodbye he can’t cope with. He’s tried, several times, and it usually ends with Mako wrapping him up in a hug, murmuring words he can’t hear against his skin, and eventually pulling the tags from his grip to drape them over his neck again. “One day, Raleigh.” It feels like failure, but it’s all he has left anymore (besides pictures that are faded and worn, and screams that are fresh and jarring).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Metal Pacifiers

The first whimper is so quiet, Raleigh stares at the ceiling for a few seconds, trying to discern if he’s hearing things, or if…

No, there’s another whimper. He’s getting better at this, he muses as he starts untangling himself from the blankets. A third whine, louder this time, and Mako stirs, a little questioning noise as she starts to wake up. He gets the blankets in order and presses a kiss to her bare shoulder, nuzzling a little as he says “Go back to sleep, I’ve got him.” One brown eye cracks open enough to peer at him, and then she burrows into the blankets with a huff. 

The whimpers are working up to a full blown howl by the time Raleigh nudges open the nursery door, and he chuckles at the indignant cries his son is giving him. “Oh, what is all this fuss about, huh?” A moment of fear, the same every time he goes to pick him up, the worry that this will be the time that the damage from Gipsy will flare and he’ll drop the baby, hurt him, and Mako always shushes him, but it’s a living terror in his chest. A hand to support the neck, a careful shift, and he’s got him cradled against his chest, diaper crinkling against the inside of his elbow, and it’s a little less fear. (He still won’t breathe easy until they’re on the couch, where a fall will startle his little rabbit, but not damage him.) “Why are you trying to wake up the neighbors, eh?” 

Of course there’s no answer, but the quiet snuffles have him grin. One little hand is clenched around his dog tags, the tiny fingers gripping the metal like usual, and Raleigh rubs his cheek against the downy hair for a moment. “Your mom just fed you not even an hour ago, there’s no way you’re hungry. And you’re not dirty, so are we just fussing to be fussing, then?” He settles them on the couch, turned sideways, and shakes his head as the actual metal tag is immediately in his rabbit’s mouth, slobber coating the metal. “That cannot taste good, son.” He vaguely wonders if it’s harmful, but Jaxon has been chewing on dog tags since he discovered they fit in his mouth, and he shows no inclination of stopping now. Raleigh glances at the numbers, quirks a sad smile as he realizes he’s put on Yancy’s again. “Those belonged to your uncle, you know.” 

He means to put them away, has meant to for years, but it always feels so final, like a goodbye he can’t cope with. He’s tried, several times, and it usually ends with Mako wrapping him up in a hug, murmuring words he can’t hear against his skin, and eventually pulling the tags from his grip to drape them over his neck again. “One day, Raleigh.” It feels like failure, but it’s all he has left anymore (besides pictures that are faded and worn, and screams that are fresh and jarring). Still, as much as he loves Jaxon, they’ll need put away before he starts teething. He doesn’t mind if his own bear the teeth marks, they’re easy enough to replace. 

He drifts a little, the quiet peace of the house settling around him like a worn blanket, and it’s when Jaxon bounces and screeches excitedly that he realizes he was dozing. Mako’s own tags are cool against his back when she leans over to kiss his temple, settling her chin on his shoulder. “I was wondering where my boys had gotten to,” she murmurs, and Raleigh can pick up the lilt of question in her voice, or maybe it’s the faint Drift hangover, even now. He turns just enough to nuzzle her cheek. 

“Just watching.” Jaxon squeals and bounces and Mako laughs and picks him up, kissing the fat baby belly through the cotton onesie, and Raleigh shakes his head in amusement as his little rabbit instantly grabs ahold of the dangling tags, jangling them together in glee. He watches her snuggle up their little one, humming absently as she watches her husband intently, and he tugs her down into his lap, wrapping his arms around everything irreplaceable in his life.


End file.
